Wushu Sanda Basic Skills-Leg Techniques-Back Side Kick
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Back Side Kick·WUSHU TV (IWUF WUSHU OFFICIAL)
Wushu Sanda Basic Skills-Leg Techniques-Back Side Kick Instructed by Zhang Kaiyin, a World Wushu Sanda Champion
Back Side Kick
SubFamilyバック・サイド・キック(Bakku Saido Kikku)
Translation: Back side kick
Overview
The Back Side Kick is a side kick delivered toward the rear, targeting an opponent who has moved behind or to the side of the practitioner. [1] Without fully turning to face the opponent, the kicker chambers and extends the side kick backward, using peripheral vision or feeling to guide the strike. [1] This technique is particularly effective in multiple-attacker scenarios or when an opponent has circled to the flank. [1]
Reverse Side Kick
History & Origin
Effectiveness
The Back Side Kick offers tactical advantages in specific situations where a standard side kick would be less effective. [1]
Lineage
Cross-style martial arts kicking tradition. [1]
Competition Record
Primarily a training, demonstration, and point-fighting technique. Rarely seen in full-contact MMA or kickboxing due to acrobatic risk and telegraphing. Appears occasionally in TKD and point-fighting karate tournaments. [1]
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Biomechanical Mechanism
Primary Action — Side kick mechanics with specific modification for back side kick variant
Joints Involved — Hip (abduction + flexion), knee (extension), ankle (lateral alignment)
Force Vector — Lateral thrust modified by the specific variant mechanics
Leverage Principle — Hip rotation and leg extension create a lateral piston-like force
Position & Entry
From fighting stance — Chamber and execute the back side kick
From close range — Adapted shorter version for tight distances
Variants
High back side kick — targeting head level
Mid back side kick — targeting body
Low back side kick — targeting legs
Videos
Scott Adkins Side Kick Tutorial
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Back Side Kick·Scott Adkins
This Side Kick Tutorial is brought to you by World renowned martial artist Scott Adkins. This kick is a staple of martia…
2 videos
What Instructors Say
The back side kick is a defensive and offensive striking technique executed by rotating the base foot to generate hip torque, then extending the leg laterally with the heel or knife-edge of the foot as the primary striking surface. Scott Adkins emphasizes that proper end-position alignment is critical: the body should rotate nearly perpendicular to the target with the back slightly facing the opponent, the striking foot's heel elevated higher than the toes, and the shoulders squared down. He stresses avoiding the chambering of the knee in favor of a direct rotation-and-kick motion that preserves momentum generated from the floor, arguing that excessive knee lift wastes power by interrupting ground-force transfer. The heel and blade ridge deliver maximum impact due to concentrated striking surface area; hitting with a flat foot disperses force and reduces damage potential. Adkins notes that body weight shifting into the kick amplifies power significantly, and practitioners should drill the fundamental technique repeatedly to internalize correct positioning. He also identifies the back side kick as an effective follow-up after a missed round kick, as the rotation already positions the hips advantageously for the lateral strike. The WUSHU TV transcript provides no usable English-language instruction for synthesis.
Synthesized from 2 instructors
- Scott Adkins — Scott Adkins Side Kick Tutorial: Comprehensive technical breakdown covering hip rotation, foot positioning (heel-down, toes-down orientation), striking surface selection (heel vs. flat foot), chamber alternatives, ground-force preservation, body-weight transfer, and the technique's application as a follow-up to missed round kicks.
- WUSHU TV (IWUF WUSHU OFFICIAL) — Wushu Sanda Basic Skills-Leg Techniques-Back Side Kick: No usable English-language transcript available for synthesis.
Learn This Technique
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Ratings
Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to
6
High6/10
Side kick variants deliver significant lateral force to the target
Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably
Advanced
Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets
Illegal
WBC/Boxing — All kicks prohibited in boxing {src— WBC Rules of Boxing}
Legal
— Unified MMA — Legal striking technique
Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDFKyokushin — Legal at full power to body and head {src— IKO Kyokushin Tournament Rules}
— WT — Legal, body kick 2 points, head kick 3 points, spinn...
WT Competition Rules 2024PDF— WAKO — Legal in Full Contact and Low Kick formats
WAKO Competition RulesPDFK-1/GLORY — Legal {src— K-1/GLORY Kickboxing Rules}
— IFMA — Legal — kicks are a core Muay Thai technique
IFMA Muay Thai RulesPDFTraining Notes
✓Master the standard side kick before attempting the back side kick (De Bremaeker & Faige, 2010)
✓Practise balance drills specific to this variant
✓Use pad work to develop power and accuracy
Common Mistakes
!Attempting the back side kick without sufficient side kick foundation
!Poor balance during execution
!Insufficient hip rotation
Related Techniques
Counter Techniques
Setup Chain
1Feint or jab → Chamber → Back Side Kick to target → Follow-up technique
Sources & References
Primary Source
Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks (De Bremaeker & Faige, 2010)
1Book[1] De Bremaeker, M. and Faige, R. (2010). Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks: 89 Kicks from Karate, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Jeet Kune Do, and Others. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4629-0558-4.
2Citation[1] De Bremaeker, M. and Faige, R. (2010). Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks: 89 Kicks from Karate, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Jeet Kune Do, and Others. Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4629-0558-4.
[1] De Bremaeker & Faige, Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks (2010)
Community
Athletics
Requires good lateral hip flexibility
Strong core for balance
Key muscles
gluteus medius, hip abductors, quadriceps
Notes
Documented in De Bremaeker & Faige, Section 2.7. A side kick directed backward — the kicker turns away from the opponent and delivers a side kick behind them. Useful when retreating. Appears in 31 passages across 2 books. (De Bremaeker & Faige, Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks, 2010)
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the most important thing to focus on when throwing a back side kick?
According to Scott Adkins, what matters most is what you do with your hips before you throw the side kick. You need to turn your back foot outward so your toes point one direction and your heels point the opposite way to generate proper power and technique.
Why is knowing the proper end position for a side kick important?
Scott Adkins explains that knowing the correct end position makes it easier to transition to that position from whatever stance you're in. If you know what the end position should be, you'll reach it more efficiently and consistently.
How should my foot and toes be positioned when executing a side kick?
Your toes should be pulled back and positioned lower than your heel, with the ridge of the foot (knife's edge) and heel being the striking surfaces, not the flat of the foot or toes. Scott Adkins emphasizes that hitting with just the heel concentrates force into a smaller area, making the kick more devastating.
How do I maintain power when executing a side kick?
Scott Adkins advises pushing off the floor and going straight into the kick without pausing, rather than bringing your knee up first and then extending. This keeps the momentum from your initial push going through the entire technique instead of losing power by changing direction mid-motion.
How does the Back Side Kick work?
The Back Side Kick is a side kick delivered toward the rear, targeting an opponent who has moved behind or to the side of the practitioner. Without fully turning to face the opponent, the kicker chambers and extends the side kick backward, using peripheral vision or feeling to guide the strike.
Where does the Back Side Kick come from?
The Back Side Kick is a specialised variant of the side kick documented in cross-style kicking methodology. Side kick variations have been developed across karate, taekwondo, and kung fu traditions.
Is the Back Side Kick legal in competition?
Unified MMA: legal — Legal striking technique; WBC/Boxing: banned — All kicks prohibited in boxing; WKF: legal — Legal, chudan (body) kick scores 2 points, jodan (head) kick scores 3 points; Kyokushin: legal — Legal at full power to body and head; WT: legal — Legal, body kick 2 points, head kick 3 points, spinning body 4 points, spinni…; WAKO: legal — Legal in Full Contact and Low Kick formats; K: legal — 1/GLORY — Legal; IFMA: legal — Legal — kicks are a core Muay Thai technique
How dangerous is the Back Side Kick?
Danger rating 6/10. Side kick variants deliver significant lateral force to the target
How do I set up the Back Side Kick?
The standard setup chain: Feint or jab → Chamber → Back Side Kick to target → Follow-up technique.
How do I defend against the Back Side Kick?
Standard counters include: Step inside the kick range / Catch and sweep / Counter with low roundhouse.
What are the variants of the Back Side Kick?
Common variants: High back side kick (targeting head level); Mid back side kick (targeting body); Low back side kick (targeting legs).
How effective is the Back Side Kick in competition?
Primarily a training, demonstration, and point-fighting technique. Rarely seen in full-contact MMA or kickboxing due to acrobatic risk and telegraphing.
What are common mistakes when doing the Back Side Kick?
Top errors to watch for: Attempting the back side kick without sufficient side kick foundation / Poor balance during execution / Insufficient hip rotation.
What are other names for the Back Side Kick?
The Back Side Kick is also known as Bakku Saido Kikku, Reverse Side Kick.